MonthlyMonthly Human Human Rights Observation Rights Report Observation on Bangladesh Report on March, 2016 Bangladesh
May, 2016
HUMAN RIGHTS SUPPORT CENTER (HRSC)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Human rights violation in Bangladesh is continued in May 2016, as similar to the previous month. In this month, the most significant human rights issues were extra-judicial killing, domestic violence, abduction, arbitrary arrest, election violence and vote rigging. But the worst situation was in the case of rape, gang rape and child rape. Violent attack especially attack on blogger, teachers and minority have been considered as a serious problem for the last may 2016.
According to the source of human rights support center (HRSC), approximately 12 people were killed extra-judicially in May 2016. The deaths occurred during raids, arrests as well as during operations by the law-enforcement agencies. The government often regretfully describes these deaths as the name of crossfire/gunfights/encounter killing. Secondly, Enforced disappearances were continued noticeably during the May 2016. Most of these allegations were against the security forces such as RAB, DB and Police. According to HRSC monitoring team, a total 02 people have been disappeared by Law enforcement agency (LEA).
Moreover, HRSC report demonstrates that, a total of 60 females were alleged to be raped in May 2016. Among of them, 06 were killed after rape and 26 were below the age of 16. About 05 women were subjected to gang rape. A total of 14 women were killed for dowry and roughly 22 were sexually harassed as well as five were victims of Acid violence. Approximately, 30 women were killed in the family feud and 05 have been injured in a total of 23 incidences.
16 - On the other hand, at least two Bangladeshi citizens were killed by BSF and one was injured and 71 were killed in the violent attack. An account of 61 people have been abducted, among of them 12 were rescued and 07 were killed after the abduction. In terms of journalist attack, around 03 were threatened and about 14 were seriously injured. Furthermore, around 04 people were killed in political violence. At least 07 people were killed in a public lynching. Remarkably, in a total of three violent attacks on minority, at list two people were killed and 10 were injured. In the case of “violence against children” in May 2016, around 09 children were killed and almost 07 children have been critically injured in a total of nearly 16 incidents.
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation However, we hope that this report will help mass people, civil society as well as international communities to realize the current dreadful and degrading human rights situation in Bangladesh. We are deeply concerned about debasing human rights situation in our beloved country. We also urge national and international human rights organizations as well as every non-state actor to raise their voice to protect and promote human rights in Bangladesh.
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human
1 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org TABLE OF CONTENTS Page SL Topics Number
1 Executive Summary 01
2 Table of Contents 02
3 Introduction 03
4 Extra-judicial Killing 04
5 Violence Against Women 07
6 Attack on Journalist 11
7 Attack on Minority 13
8 Territorial Dispute 15
9 Violence against children 17
10 Public Lynching 19
16 11 Abduction 20 -
12 Violent Attack 23
13 Political Violence 26
14 Recovery of Dead Body 28
15 Election Violence and Vote Rigging 30 ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation
16 At a Glance May 2016 33
17 Conclusion 34
18 Recommendation 35 Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 2 INTRODUCTION
Human rights are rights that hold to be „inalienable‟ and belonging to all human, according to natural law. Human rights are fundamental rights or basic rights. Fundamental rights cannot, rather must not, be denied or resisted by any legislature or Government actions and are often set out in a constitution.1 Human rights are protected and upheld by international and national laws and treaties. All human beings are born free and equal. Human rights advocates agree that sixty years after its adoption, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is still more a dream than reality.
The state is the defender of all sorts of human rights. The Constitution of Bangladesh recognizes all forms of human rights i.e. civil and political rights, social, economic and cultural rights. Civil and political rights are recognized as „fundamental rights‟ which are directly justiciable, i.e. a person can file a petition before the High Court in case there is a violation of her fundamental rights. In the Foreword of the Bangladesh Constitution it is declared, “Further pledging that it shall be a fundamental aim of the state to realize through the democratic process to socialist society, free from exploitation-a society in which the rule of law, fundamental human rights and freedom, equality and justice, political, economic and social, will be secured for all citizens”.2
In spite of having such constitutional obligation, human rights are drastically violated in the country. In May 2016, human rights have been infringed against women, children, minority groups, journalists, political activists, laymen, and other good citizens of the country. The situation reached to such abysmal state that even the common people feel insecure
everywhere whether it‟s their bedroom or street. 16 - HSRC agrees with prominent human rights experts that massive corruption in state machinery, the politicization of administration, weakness of judiciary, and culture of impunity are liable for the worse law and order situation in the country. Moreover, it‟s also claimed that political patronization and shelter of criminals lead to human rights violation in the country.
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation
1 Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human Human rights and governance training manual by manusher jonno. Page o3, 2 http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/print_sections_all.php?id=367
3 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org EXTRA JUDICIAL KILLING
Extrajudicial killing is an arbitrary or unlawful deprivation of life and simply murder. This is the killing of a person by governmental authorities without the sanction of any judicial proceeding or legal process.3Bangladesh has earned notoriety in carrying out extrajudicial killings. „Crossfire‟ or „encounter‟ and gunfight are very common terms used by the LEA to hide their crime and avoid the liabilities of extra-judicial killing. After killing in a pre- planned and cool head, the police and RAB4 authorities have informed the media that the victim‟s died to engage in the crossfire. These extra-judicial killings are depriving the people of their rights to lives and right to get justice in neutral open court.5The government of Bangladesh has been violating the constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights day after day since 2002 especially when the operation clean heart started. Now the situation is becoming more complex day by day.
In Bangladesh, the law says minimum force should be applied to arrests and every person has the right to seek a trial. In the cases of "crossfire or encounters, the rights to life and personal liberty are under threat in Bangladesh, despite the fact that they are guaranteed by the constitution of the People‟s Republic of Bangladesh the constitutions. The existing legal framework does not allow encounter killing.
Crossfire (04)
Shot to Dead 16
Extra-judicial Killing - (12) (02)
Custodial Death (06)
Figure 01: Extra-Judicial Killing in May 2016 ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation
The given flow chart provides information about the extra- judicial killing scenario in May 2016: According to human rights support center (HRSC) report, a total of 12 persons were alleged kill extra-judicially. Out of them, 04 people were killed in the name of ‘crossfire/ gunfights’, 02 were shot to death, and 06 have died in the custody.
3 http://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/constitutional-law.
4 http://www.lawteacher.net Rights MonthlyObserv Human 5 http://www.lawteacher.net/free-law-essays/constitutional-law.
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 4 Some important cases are mentioned below: On May 05.2016, A suspected robber was killed in a reported gunfight between his cohorts and members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) at Mrigamari of the Sundarbans in Mongla upazila of Bagerhat today. The deceased Alam alias Alam Khan, 45, was the ringleader of a robbers gang „Alam Bahini‟, reports our Bagerhat correspondent.6
On May 10, 2016 an alleged outlaw was killed in a “gunfight” between his cohorts and police in the districts Mirpur upazila. The dead, Asadul Islam Fakir, 39, of Radhanagar village in the upazila, was a regional leader of outlawed Purbo Banglar Communist Party (ML-Lal Pataka).7
On May, 06, 2016 In Tangail, two outlawed party members were killed in a gunfight with the members of Rapid Action Battalion members in Sadar upazila. The deceased were identified as--Fazlu Driver and Uzzal, members of banned Purbo Banglar Communist Party. On secret information, an elite force team conducted a drive at Jugnihat around 1am when a group of outlaws was holding a meeting, said commander of RAB-12 Tangail unit additional police super Mohiuddin Faruki. However, the outlawed party members opened fire on the law enforcers forcing them to fire back that triggered a gunfight.Fazlu and Uzzal were found dead after the gun battle.8
On May, 06, 2016 in Laxmipur, a criminal was killed in a gunfight with the members of law enforcers in Sadar upazila. The dead was identified as--Kawsar. Chandraganj Thana OC AKM Azizur Rahman said, police arrested Kawsar at night. According to his statement, a law enforcer‟s team went to Latifpur village with Kawsar to recover arms. Sensing the presence of the team, Kawsar's associates opened fire to police forcing them to fire back that triggered
a gunfight. At one stage, Kawsar was caught in the line of fire and died on the spot.9
16 -
On May 11, 2016 a criminal was killed in a 'gunfight' between police and his cohorts at Junedpur village in Laxmipur Sadar upazila. The deceased, Yousuf, 35, son of Ali Akbar of the village, was a member of local criminal gang 'Laden Masum Bahini'.10
On May 26, 2016 an alleged robber was killed in a 'gunfight' with police in Shashai area under Bijoynagar upazila of Brahmanbaria. The deceased was identified as Mohabbat Khan,
29, son of late Hanif Khan of Koyarpur village in Nasirnagar upazila of the district.11 ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation On 19 May 2016, A Shibir leader named Hafizur Rahman (22), who was arrested to hide a failure of police regarding the murder of Rajshahi University teacher Prof AFM Rezaul Karim Siddiquee, died of cardiac-related problems in police custody in a Rajshahi Medical College Hospital around 4:30am. On 23 April 2016 police have inhumanly arrested Hafizur Rahman, the Rajshahi metropolitan Shibir leader, who was seriously suffering by complex
6http://bangla.samakal.net/2016/05/06/210387#sthash.mGoeEonO.dpuf 7http://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/outlaw-killed-shootout-police-1221817 8http://www.mzamin.com/article.php?mzamin=8869&cat=1/ 9http://www.mzamin.com/article.php?mzamin=8876&cat=1/-
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human 10http://www.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/article/856039/ 11http://www.thedailystar.net/country/robber-killed-gunfight-cops-1230004
5 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org diseases thalassemia although the murder was claimed by “Islamic State”. Deceased Hafizur Rahman, son of Hossen Ali Mondol, was the meritorious student of honors the second year of public administration department, Rajshahi University. He was very polite and gentle boy. He was also member candidate and the finance secretary Shah Makdum Thana of Bangladesh Islamic shattra shibir (bics) Rajshahi city corporation Branch before being ill. On 23 April‟,2016 police had arrested Hafizur from his resident in an allegation of murdering RU teacher Dr.Razaul Karim who was murdered one day before by the miscreants and taken him at a local police station though his parents and neighbors claimed him innocent and sick many times. After arresting Hafizur Rahman his family members ran here and there and even arranged press conference claiming that their son has been ill since three months even his blood has to change after one week as he was affected by one sort of blood cancer named thalassemia. They also warned that if their son Hafizur was not given the release to give him proper treatment then any sorts of accident even immature death could happen. This issue was highlighted frequently from his family and organization and demanded to his release. But the administration did not pay any attention to this. Rather they brought him in four days remand on 28th April, 2016 and tortured him inhumanly and deprived him of all sorts of treatment .Later he was sent to jail custody. In his Prison, the concerned authority did not provide any attention to him and not pay any appropriate treatment As a result his physical condition was deteriorated and then he was admitted to Rajshahi medical college hospital on 17th May,2016 and there he left his last breath.12
16
- ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation
Rights MonthlyObserv Human 12http://www.mzamin.com/article.php?mzamin=14837&cat=3
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 6 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Violence against women and girls is one of the most systematic and widespread human rights violations. It is rooted in gendered social structures rather than individual and random acts; it cuts across age, socio-economic, educational and geographic boundaries; affects all societies; which are the major obstacle to ending gender inequality and discrimination globally.13 In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, The United Nations defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life”.14Violence against women is a main social problem in contemporary Bangladesh. Inhuman attacks on women have become commonplace and widespread across the country. Daily news reports are filled with atrocities including physical and psychological torture, sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape, dowry-related violence, trafficking, coerced suicide and murder. The rate of reported violent acts against women has risen steadily and at an alarming rate, especially in May 2016. HRSC provides the following data has been taken from 12 prominent daily newspapers in Bangladesh.
60 60
50
40
30 16 - 30 22
20 14
10 5
0 Rape Sexual Killed for Killed in Acid Throwing Harresment Dowry Family Feud
Figure 02: Violence against Women in May’16
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation HRSC detects the whole situation of female in Bangladesh and documented the issues relating to the violation of women rights. The major subjects of violation against women were dowry killings, rape, sexual harassment and stalking, acid attacks, physical and mental abuse.
13 Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human (UN General Assembly, 2006) 14 (General Assembly Resolution 48/104 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, 1993)
7 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org According to the HRSC the supplied graph illustrates about information of violence against women in May 2016 in Bangladesh are detailed below
Rape A total number of 60 females were raped. Among of them 55 were victims of single rape and 05 were subjected to gang rape and 26 were children below the age of 16 (including single and gang rape). Approximately 06 were killed after being raped. On the other hand; around 05 incidents have been attempted to rape.
Killed in Family Feud
About 30 women were killed in the family feud and 05 females have been injured. Of them, 23 were an incident of Family Feud.
Dowry Related Violence
Approximately 13 incidents of dowry-related violence were reported in May 2016. About 14 were killed and 02 women were physically abused over dowry demands.
Sexual Haressment 16 According to information collected by HRSC, a total of 22 girls and women were reportedly - victims of sexual harassment in May 2016. Among them, 15 were assaulted and 07 were stalked.
Acide Violence Around 05 females became victims of acid violence and critically injured in May 2016. A majority of the acid attacks on women occurs due to the refusal of the proposal of love,
marriage or sex advances or over land disputes or failure of affairs or not withdrawal case. ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation
Suicide related violece According to the information of HRSC almost 25 females committed suicide in Bangladesh in May 2016. Of these nearly 04 girls committed suicide as victims of stalking. Around 21 women and girls committed suicide because of physical and domestic violence.
Rights MonthlyObserv Human
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 8 Some important cases are cited: On May 01, 2016 two sisters have allegedly been raped after they were made to drink spiked juice and lose consciousness in Kaliakoir upazila of Gazipur. According to police, the two are from Tangail. Both garment workers, they used to live in a rented house in Kaliakoir. On Thursday night, wife of the house owner Hosne Ara sent her nephew Faruk to the girls, asking them to come over to her room. When they entered Hosne Ara's room, they were offered puffed rice (muri) and juice. As the duo refused to have the food, Hosne Ara scolded them. At one stage, the victims drank the juice and became unconscious. Faruk then raped the girls.15 On May 04, 2016 a housewife was beaten to death allegedly by her husband over a dowry- related feud at Garibpur village in Bagharpara upazila of Jessore district. The deceased was identified as Jannati Khatun, 25, wife of Abdur Rahim, a resident of the village, and daughter of Bazlur Rahman, hailing from Joynagar village of the upazila. Family members said Abdur- Rahim had demanded Tk one lakh from Jannati‟s family as dowry a few days ago and tortured her often over the issue. Failing to realise the demanded money, Rahim beat up Jannati mercilessly at about 11:00pm, leaving her dead on the spot.16
On May 06, 2016 a man allegedly hacked his wife to death over a family feud in the capital's Kalyanpur. The deceased was Jharna Begum, 35, wife of Abu Sayeed, a rickshaw-puller, police said. The couple lived in a rented room on the 2nd floor of a three-storey building. They had five children. Sayeed swooped on his wife with a sharp weapon and killed her following an altercation in the afternoon, said police.17
On May 06, 2016 A woman allegedly committed suicide by jumping under a train over a family feud at Shankarpur rail station in Jessore Sadar. Sharmin Khatun, 25, wife of Abdullah
Hussain of Satkhira, came to her father's house and committed suicide, police said quoting 16 - her father Anser Ali. Locals rushed her to Jessore Medical College Hospital where she died at night. Police sent the body for autopsy.18
On May 08, 2016 Miscreants "killed" a 14-year-old girl by slitting her throat as they failed to rape her at Sonargaon of Narayanganj. Deceased Meghla Akhtar was the daughter of Rashed Mia of Daulutpur in Manikganj. Meghla used to live near Sonapur Community Centre with her family and had been working for around seven months at Nawab Ali Textile in the area.19
On May 08, 2016 a housewife was allegedly beaten to death for dowry in Ghoraghat upazila
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation of Dinajpur district. Police arrested the husband and his parents from the spot in connection with the killing. The deceased was identified as Selina Begum, 30, wife of Montu Mia of Kalupara village in the upazila. The arrestees are Montu Mia, 26, and his parents Israil Ahmed, 55, and Mozida Begum, 45, of the village. Locals said Rois Uddin of Purbopara
15http://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/two-sisters-raped-1217131 16http://www.mzamin.com/article.php?mzamin=12604&cat=9/-- 17 http://www.thedailystar.net/city/man-kills-wife-capital-1219540
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human 18http://www.thedailystar.net/city/woman-commits-suicide-jessore-1219825 19http://www.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/article/853225
9 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org village in the upazila married off his daughter Selina to Montu Mia one and a half years ago. After their marriage Montu and his parents used to torture her for dowry.20
On May 19, 2016 a housewife was beaten to death allegedly by her husband for dowry in Phulbari upazila of the district. The deceased is Nurjahan Begum, 23, wife of Mohammad Milon of Maheshpur village in the upazila. Nurjahan's father Aksad Ali, a resident of neighbouring Kankun village, filed a murder case accusing Milon in this connection with Phulbari Police Station, Moksed Ali, officer-in-charge of the police station, said.21
On May 19, 2016 Police detained the vice-president of a government primary school committee for allegedly assaulting the headmistress of the school at Dhamrai of Dhaka.A case was filed yesterday with Dhamrai Police Station following a general diary by the headmistress.She accused Abdul Malek of sexually assaulting her, Officer-in-Charge Dipok Chandra of Dhamrai Police Station told.22
On May 23, 2016 a woman was found dead in Joypurhat and Dinajpur districts. The deceased is Fatema Khatun, 35, wife of Rafiqul Islam of Khapura village in Akkelpur upazila of Joypurhat. Law enforcers recovered the body from the victim's bedroom and sent it to Joypurhat Modern Hospital morgue for autopsy, said Sajjadur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Akkelpur Police Station.23
On May 27, 2016 a six-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her neighbour at a village in Jamalpur. The second-grader was sleeping when a neighbour's 16-year-old son entered the house and raped her, said Abdul Awal, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, adding, the parents were at work when the incident occurred. Hearing her screams, neighbours rushed to 24
the house and caught the boy, but he managed to flee, the OC said.
16 -
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation
20http://www.mzamin.com/article.php?mzamin=14087&cat=9 21http://www.thedailystar.net/country/housewife-killed-dowry-1226752 22http://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/school-vp-held-sexual-assault-headteacher-1226953
23 http://www.thedailystar.net/country/housewife-found-dead-two-others-stabbed-1228228 Rights MonthlyObserv Human 24http://www.thedailystar.net/city/girl-raped-jamalpur-1230610
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 10 ATTACK ON JOURNALIST
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) contains, in Article 19, the first and most widely recognized statement of the right to freedom of expression: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.25
The UDHR is not a binding treaty but a recommendatory resolution adopted by the UN General Assembly. Through time and universal acceptance, however, much of the UDHR has risen to the level of customary international law, including Article 19, and is, therefore, binding on all states. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) was meant to elaborate the UDHR and contains a more detailed but very similar statement about freedom of expression (again in Article 19):
1. Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference. 2. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.26
The UN‟s Human Rights Committee, the body that is mandated to monitor states‟ implementation of the ICCPR, has clarified that law which criminalizes the expression of opinions about historical facts are incompatible with the obligations on states to respect freedom of expression and opinion. As a state party to the International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights (ICCPR), all of Bangladesh‟s branches of governmental authority,
16 including the judiciary, must respect and protect freedom of expression. -
Freedom of expression is a precondition for working democracy, creating peace and public participation in decision-making. Regrettably Freedom of expression was seen to limited in every aspect in Bangladesh during the first three months of 2016. Individuals are not always able to disparage the government publicly without the fear of reprisal and the government often attempted to impede criticism by prohibiting or dispersing as well as shutting out many electronic and print media due to the silly matter of publishing real but against to government reports.Even the social media was banned for two times.
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation The government applied indirect pressure to coerce to different news agencies constantly. Moreover in Bangladesh, attacks on journalists are very frequent incidents; assaulting, threatening and disrupting in their professional duties have become very mundane matter.
25 Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human UDHR-1948, article 19 26 ICCPR-1966, article 19
11 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org Attack on • Injured 14 Journalist • Threatened 03
Figure 03: Attack on Journalist The journalists and the media constant were to be victims of attacks, physically assaulted, threaten and intimidated from different powerful quarters, especially from the government and the ruling party leaders and activists. The flow chart illustrates information about the attack on journalism in May. According to HRSC’s documented statistics, around 14 were injured, nearly 03 were threatened, about 02 were arrested and 01 was assaulted. Selected cases are as described here:On May 13, 2016 six on-duty journalists were hacked allegedly by a gang of contraband Yaba (methamphetamine) traders at Nazirpara of Teknaf in Cox‟s Bazar. The injured were identified as Suja Uddin Rubel, a staff reporter of private Somoy Television, its camera crew Faraj Uddin, Independent Television reporter Toufikul Islam Lipu, its camera crew Shariful Islam and Ekattor Television reporter Kamrul Islam Minto, and its cameraperson Babu Kanti Dey. They said local Yaba ring known as „Bhutto
Bahini‟ assaulted them with sharp weapons around 5:00pm when they went to Bhutto‟s house 16 to interview the man over Yaba smuggling.„As we reached his house, Yaba smugglers - attacked us with sharp weapons, iron rods and sticks, leaving us injured,‟ said Toufikul Islam Lipu.27
On May 24, 2016 a journalist and his wife were injured in an attack allegedly by a union parishad member in Dhunat upazila of the district. The victims are Imran Hossain Emon, 32, Dhunat upazila correspondent of the daily Ji Ji Din and Dainik Bangla Bulletin, and his wife Fizu Khatun, 24, of Choukibari village in Choukibari union. Locals alleged that Rafiqul Islam, a member of ward No 4 of Choukibari Union Parishad, has been embezzling government fund of Rural Electrification Board for giving electricity line for long.Being | May Bangladesh on Report ation informed, the journalist recently went there to cover the news which angered the UP member. Later, the UP member threatened Emon over a cellphone. On Monday night, a gang of 14/15, allegedly led by the UP member, attacked the house of the journalist and looted cash. They also beat up Emon and his wife.28
27http://www.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/article/857821 Rights MonthlyObserv Human 28http://www.thedailystar.net/country/journo-wife-hurt-attack-member-1228813
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 12 ATTACK ON MINORITIES
Article 27 of The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights states that “In those States in which ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities exist, persons belonging to such minorities shall not be denied the right, in community with the other members of their group, to enjoy their own culture, to profess and practice their own religion, or to use their own language”.The International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights mentions explicitly in article 2 (2) that “the States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to guarantee that the rights enunciated in the present Covenant will be exercised without discrimination of any kind as to race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”
2
3 killed Numbers of Incidents 10 Temple Attack Injured
5
16
- Figure 04: Statistics of attack on minority
The pie chart provides information about the incidents regarding attacks on minority, according to information collected by HRSC in May 2016, at least 02 men were killed and 03 minority members were injured in a total of 10 incidents.
Selected cases are as described here:On May 13, 2016, unidentified miscreants killed an
elderly Buddhist monk by slitting his throat in Naikkhangchhari upazila of Bandarban. The ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation body of the victim -- Mong Shwe U Chak, 75, -- was found near Baishari Bihar at Uppar Chak Para village in the upazila, our Bandarban correspondent reports quoting Abul Khair, officer-in-charge (OC) of Naikkhangchhari Police Station. The victim‟s daughter-in-law found the body when she went to the bihar with some food for the monk around 5:00am. Aung Sa Dhoai Chak, son of the victim, told that his father did not have any enmity with anyone in the area.29
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human 29http://www.bd-pratidin.com/country/2016/05/14/144718#sthash.8TD8sAP1.dpuf
13 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org On May 25, 2016 A Hindu businessman was hacked to death at his shoe store at Gobindaganj upazila in Gaibandha while SITE Intelligence Group claimed that militant outfit Islamic State claimed the responsibility for the killing. The assailants hacked the businessman, Debesh Chandra Pramanik, in the right neck and later he was found in a pool of blood inside his shoe store adjacent to his house at Mahimaganj union. Police investigators said the incident took place between 6:00am and 6:30am when he was opening the shop. The victim family alleged that some local drug addicts tried to extort money from Debesh a few days ago and his refusal caused an altercation at the shop. Devesh‟s widow Anand Pramanik filed a murder case with Gobindaganj police station accusing Hindu youth Nripen Chandra and police investigators arrested him.30
16
- ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation
Rights MonthlyObserv Human 30http://newagebd.net/231971/hindu-trader-hacked-to-death/
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 14 TERRITORIAL DISPUTE
Bangladesh is surrounded by India on three sides. Bangladesh needs a better relation with India for its own existence. But Indian behavior with Bangladesh is not so amicable. Human rights are extremely violated in the border area of Bangladesh by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF). Human rights violations by BSF have been going on for a long time along the borders between Bangladesh and India. Members of the BSF also illegally enter Bangladesh territory and attack people residing along the border, shoot and kidnap Bangladeshis. The India-Bangladesh border is probably the most helpless and delightful border in the world. However, we have frequently observed that India has been violating treaties, shooting at anyone seen near the border, which is a pure violation of the international act and human rights.
1
Killed by BSF Injured By BSF
2
16 - Figure 05: Territorial Dispute
The given pie chart gives data on the border dispute. According to HRSC in May 2016, roughly 02 Bangladeshis citizen were killed, and almost 01 were injured by BSF.
Some important cases are mentioned below;On May 14, 2016 Indian Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead a Bangladeshi along Jibonnagar border in Chuadanga. The dead, Shihab Uddin Sajal, 18, was the son of Mahbub Alam of Goalpara of the upazila. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) sources said that a BSF member of Tungi camp in Nadia opened fire ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation when Shihab and the three were plucking mangoes from the trees at the orchard around 10:30am. Shihab suffered bullet injures.31
On May 21, 2016 A Bangladeshi national was allegedly shot by members of Indian Border Security Force at Madra border point in Satkhira. The youth was identified as Md Azihar Rahman, 34, son of Jasim Uddin of village Madra under Kalaroa upazila in the district.
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human 31http://www.thedailystar.net/backpage/bangladeshi-shot-dead-bsf-1224028
15 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org Satkhira BGB 38 battalion commander Lt Col Arman Hossain said he had talked to the BSF 76 battalion but they denied that they opened fire on the Bangladeshi youth.32
On May 23, 2016 Indian Border Security Force (BSF) shot dead a Bangladeshi youth near Kanakata Premcharanjouth border in Tentulia upazila of Panchagarh district. The dead were identified as Sujan, 22, son of Sanaullah of Premcharanjouth village under the upazila. Quoting villagers, commanding officer of Panchagarh BGB 18-Battalion Lt Colonel Al Hakim Mohammad Nowshad told this correspondent over cellphone that three people including Sujan had gone to the Gabra River near border pillar No 38/3-S. Members of BSF of Lochugoch Camp opened fire on them around 3:45pm, leaving Sujan critically injured. The two others escaped unhurt. Soon after the incident, villagers brought Sujan to Tentulia Upazila Health Complex where the on-duty doctor declared him dead.33
16
- ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation
32http://www.jugantor.com/news/2016/05/22/33485/ Rights MonthlyObserv Human 33http://www.mzamin.com/article.php?mzamin=15213&cat=9
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 16 VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN
The violation of child rights is a common problem in Bangladesh. The children have basic rights to education, balance diet, health and nutrition, protection, participation, recreation, safe water, and hygiene. Most of the children of Bangladesh are deprived of these basic rights. Children have been recognized by the international community in recent times. As a signatory to U.N. Declaration on the Rights of the Child in 1990, there is an upsurge of awareness of rights of children.34The rights of every child to a standard of living adequate for the child‟s physical, mental, spiritual, moral, and social development”.35
16 16 14 12 9 10 7 8 6 4 2 0
killed Injured Incidents
16 - Figure 06: Violence against children According to HRSC report, the graph presented below regarding the violence against children May 2016, around 09 children’s were killed and almost 07 children’s have been critically injured in a total of nearly 16 incidents of Violence against Children.
Some important cases are mentioned below; On May 20, 2016 Law enforcers arrested a muezzin in Narayanganj on a charge of killing a minor girl. Hafez Jahirul Islam, 30, muezzin
of a mosque in Barapa Sutlara area of Rupganj upazila, was held after the body of deceased ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation Sumaiya, 8, was recovered from a pond beside the mosque. According to the father of the victim, Sumaiya and another girl from their neighborhood went to attend Arabic class at Barapa Sutlara Mollah Bari Jam-e-Masjid around 6:00am on Thursday. After the class, the other girl named Tamanna returned home but Sumaiya did not, Wazit Mia, Sumaiya‟s father, said at a press conference. She had been missing since then. Based on allegations raised by the locals, police interrogated Jahirul, who at one stage admitted that he threw the girl in the
34 Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human Abdul Halim, Constitution, Constitutional Law & Politics Bangladesh Perspective, 3rd ed p. 53. 35 Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989, Art. 27.
17 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org pond, said Md Ismail Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Rupganj Police Station. After the Arabic class, he asked Sumaiya to stay back for cleaning the mosque staircase. While sweeping, she fell down and got injured, he claimed. Scared of beating by the locals for her injuries, muezzin Jahirul threw Sumaiya in the pond, the OC also said quoting the muezzin. Whether the girl was raped before being killed could be confirmed after the autopsy, he added.36
On May 11, 2016 five people, including the bakery owner, have been sued on charge of killing a child worker at Ramkrishnapur village in Laxmipur Sadar upazila. Abul Kalam, the father of slain Alauddin, 12, filed the case accusing bakery owner Mohammad Nasir, and its four staff--Al-Amin, Shahjahan, Shamim and Mizan- with Chandraganj Police Station. Alauddin was beaten to death allegedly by his employer and colleagues at Ananda Bakery in the town. Quoting victim's father, police said Nasir along with other staff of the bakery beat up the boy mercilessly for not attending his workplace in early hours everyday, leaving Alauddin dead.37
On May 16, 2016 a teenage girl was tortured by her lover and his family at Porahati of Jhenaidah when she demanded the recognition as his wife. Jhenaidah police said that the victim had a love affair with Bakul Hossain of Porahati for past few years. The family members of Bakul tied up the victim with a pole and tortured her overnight as she went Bakul‟s house seeking recognition as his wife. Officer-in-charge of Jhenaidah police station Hasan Hafizur Rahman said they rescued the girl while she was seriously injured due to torture.38
16
- ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation
36http://www.jugantor.com/online/country-news/2016/05/22/13757
37http://www.thedailystar.net/country/5-sued-killing-child-worker-1222348 Rights MonthlyObserv Human 38http://newagebd.net/230510/girl-tortured-tied-up-with-pole-as-she-demanded-recognition-of-wife/
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 18 PUBLIC LYNCHING
Lynching is an extrajudicial punishment by an informal group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob, often by hanging, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate a minority group. It is an extreme form of informal group social control. In Bangladesh due to lack of respect for law, distrust of the police and instability in the country people are taking the law into their own hands, fearing that they will not get justice any other way. As a result, the incident of public lynching became a banal matter. HRSC believes that everyone has right to be considered as innocent until proven guilty by the court.
7 10 killed Injured Incident
6
Figure 07: Public Lynching
According to human rights support center (HRSC) information, in May 2016, about 03
people have been injured; nearly 07 people were killed in a total of 10 incidents of the 16 - public lynching.
Some important cases are given below- On May 10, 2016 a criminal was killed and three others injured in a mob beating at Simuliya village in Jhikargachha upazila of Jessore district. The deceased was identified as Lalu Miah, 43, of Meherpur district town..39
On May 17, 2016 A youth was allegedly beaten to death by a mob suspecting him of stealing a mobile phone at Sitakunda in Chittagong. The victim is identified as Abdul Malek, 26, resident of Bogula bazar in Sitalpur. Witnesses said some local men took Abdul from Bogula bazar to nearby Choudhuripara accusing him of stealing a mobile phone and beat him up 40
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation mercilessly.
On May 29, 2016 an alleged thief was beaten to death by a mob at Badarpur village in Patuakhali Sadar upazila. The deceased is Jamal Hossain, 40, son of Nazim Hawladar of the village.41
39http://www.thedailystar.net/country/criminal-killed-mob-beating-1221958
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human 40http://newagebd.net/230702/mob-lynches-youth-suspecting-thief-in-sitakunda/ 41http://www.thedailystar.net/country/alleged-thief-killed-mob-beating-1231324
19 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org ABDUCTION
Abduction is a brutal violation of human rights. Abduction, Kidnapping, killing after the abduction, etc. are the common phenomena in Bangladesh. Nobody could confidently predict his safe return after going outside of his resident. The numbers of victims, according to HRSC report is increasing day by day. In May 2016, the occurrences of abduction increased all over the country. But there are provisions regarding kidnap & abduction in our Penal Code. According to section 362 of the Penal Code, 1860 a person is said to commit the offence of abduction when by force compels or by any deceitful means induces any other person to go from one place to another. Article 3 & 9 0f Universal declaration of human Rights declared that “Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person”. The graph provides information about the total abduction in May 2016.
70 61
60
50
40
30
20 12 7
10
0 16 Total Abduction Rescue After Abduction killed after abduction -
Figure 08: Statistics of Abduction may’16
The supplied bar diagram describes information about the abduction cases in May 2016 in Bangladesh, According to the human rights support center (HRSC) information, a total of 61 people were abducted, among of them, 07 were killed after the abduction. On the other hand, nearly 12 people were rescued by law enforcement agencies after the abduction.
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation On May 05, 2016 a missing trader was found dead in Lama Upazila of the district on Wednesday night. The victim is Basonto Barua, 45, of Dordori Baruapara in the upazila. The banana trader went missing four days ago. Family members said informed by locals, army and police personnel recovered the decomposed body of the trader from the area. The body, which bore stab injury marks, was sent to Bandarban Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy, said police.42
Rights MonthlyObserv Human 42http://www.thedailystar.net/country/missing-trader-found-dead-1219534
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 20 On May 17, 2016 Fire service and the civil defense recovered the body of a minor schoolboy from the Bhairab River at Nawapara industrial town in Jessore district. The deceased is Masud Rana, 6, a Class I student of Ahmad Ali Sarder Primary School, and son of Mozzamel Hossain of Masharhati village. Police said the boy went missing when he went to take a dip in the river near Nawapara Jute Mills Ltd on Friday.43
On May 27, 2016 At least 25 fishermen were allegedly abducted by bandits from the east Sundarbans. Locals said members of “Sagor group” abducted them from different points of the forest. The bandits are demanding Tk 20,000 to Tk 25,000 as ransom from each of the families, they said. The abducted hail from Joymoni, Chila and Sundortola of Mongla upazila, and different villages of Rampal upazila in Bagerhat.Of them, Mukul, Polas, Rana, Pitor, Sujon and Mamun are of Chila, locals said.44
2 5
Male Female Children
54
16 - Figure 09: Categorization of Abduction
The given pie chart describes information about the abduction cases in May 2016 in Bangladesh, According to the human rights support center (HRSC) information, a total of 61 people were abducted, among of them, 54 were male, around 05 were female and nearly 02 were children.
Selected cases are as follows:On May 09, 2016 a jewellery shop owner, who went missing from Chorkol village under Sadar upazila of the district on Wednesday, remains traceless. He
is Bijoy Kumar Paul, 45, son of Gaura Chandra Paul of Gopalpur bazar in the upazila. Sanjoy ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation Kumar, the brother of Bijoy Kumar, said Bijoy went to Chorkol village on Wednesday to bring Tk 13,000 from villager, and has been missing since then. Even his mobile phone is switched off. Sanjoy filed a general diary with Jhenidah Sadar Police Station on Thursday afternoon. Gopinath Kanjilal, the superintendent of police (Sadar Circle), said law enforcers are trying to trace Bijoy.45
43http://www.thedailystar.net/country/missing-boys-body-found-1225435
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human 44http://www.thedailystar.net/city/25-fishermen-abducted-sundarbans-1230598 45http://www.thedailystar.net/country/jewellery-shop-owner-missing-1221259
21 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org On May 03, 2016 Members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) rescued a ruling party leader three hours after his abduction in Kalai upazila of Joypurhat. The victim is Monwar Hossain, vice president of Matrai union unit of Awami League, and a rebel aspirant for the post of chairman of the union. According to witnesses, Monwar was going to Joypurhat town on an easy-bike on Monday for filing his nomination papers for the post of chairman of Matrai union as he faced hindrance in filing his papers in Kalai upazila. Some criminals waylaid the vehicle carrying him when it reached Baniyapara village near Joypurhat-Bogra road at around 1:30pm and abducted him. Three hours later, members of Rab rescued him from the house of one Abdur Razzak in Matrai village.46
On May 17, 2016 a television broadcaster has gone missing from Dhaka's Tejgaon area, the family said. Her last known movement was in Gulshan police station where she filed a diary against her husband. The missing is Sabina Nipa, a news broadcaster of privately owned Maasranga Television. A resident of Niketon, she filed a diary against her husband at Gulshan Police Station last night, said Abdur Rashid, officer-in-charge of Tejgaon Industrial Police Station.47
16
- ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation
46http://www.thedailystar.net/country/abducted-chairman-aspirant-rescued-3-held-1218148 Rights MonthlyObserv Human 47http://www.thedailystar.net/city/television-broadcaster-missing-dhaka-1225807
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 22 VIOLENT ATTACK
Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security. So the state is obliged to protect the citizens from all kinds‟ of criminal attack to them. „The obligation of protection‟ requires the state to prevent violations of rights of citizens by third parties. This obligation also implies that state has to exercise due diligence to prevent, punish, investigate or redress the harm caused by acts of private persons or entities. In spite of growing concern of criminal attack, the number of incidences is gradually increasing day by day. HRSC try to detect and divulged all kinds of violent attack from May 2016.
The bar chart provides information regarding the violent attack on armless civilian. According to the data in Human Rights Support Centre (HRSC) in May 2016, a total 62 incidents of violent attack have happened and 71 were killed in these attacks, 56 were seriously injured and around 15 persons have been bullet hit.
80 71 70 56 60 50 40 30 15
20
16
- 10 0 killed Injured Bullet Hit
Figure 10: violent attack
Selected cases are as analysed:On May 01, 2016 a person, including a bKash agent, were shot and robbed of Tk 2.25 lakh in the capital. Muggers shot Billal Hossain, 35, proprietor of Billal Telecom and a bKash agent on road-108 in Gulshan-2, in the left arm and took Tk 2.2
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation lakh from him before his house on road-114, his nephew Nazrul Islam told. He was attacked while he was going to his shop as he refused to give them his bag containing the money, he said. Billal was first taken to a local 48
On May 1, 2016 Assailants hacked to death a tailor dragging him out of his tailoring shop near his house at a village of Gopalpur upazila in Tangail. Middle-East-based militant group Islamic State claimed the responsibility for the killing of the 50-year-old tailor, Nikhil
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human 48http://www.thedailystar.net/city/2-shot-robbed-capital-1217122
23 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org Chandra Joarder. Witnesses said that the assailants left the place on their motorbike, leaving a hand bag with some explosive-like substances.49
On May 03, 2016 a local Jubo League leader was killed by unidentified criminals in Natore town. The deceased, Abdur Razzak, 32, was the vice-president of Ward No-8 unit of Jubo League under Tebaria union, youth front of the ruling Awami League.Being informed by locals, police recovered Razzak's throat-slit body from a place near Yasinpur Rail Station in the morning and sent it to Sadar Hospital morgue for autopsy.Razzak, son of Abdul Matin of Tebaria village in the upazila, might have been killed by his rivals over business related issues, the OC said.50
On May 05, 2016 A Jubo League activist was shot dead by unknown miscreants in Sharkarhat of Hathazari upazila in Chittagong. Nur-e-Elahi Jewel, 32, of Mirzapur in Hathazari was chatting with people near the electoral booth of Awami League's chairman candidate Nurul Absar of Mirzapur Union Parishad after a campaign for Nurul, said police. “All of a sudden he was shot in the chest,” said Moshiud Dola Reza, additional superintended of police of Hathazari circle. Jewel was taken to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where he was declared dead.51
On May 11, 2016 an activist of the ruling Awami League was hacked to death at Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia. The deceased was identified as Akkas Ali, 38, of Daulatkhan Godown Bazar village at the upazila. A group of miscreants intercepted the motorbike of Akkas at Pragpur field at about 10:30pm while he was going to Daulatpur along with Juba League leader Ali Nasir, said Daulatpur police station officer-in-charge Shahidul Islam Shahin quoting Nasir. As Akkas tried to speed away, the criminals hacked him indiscriminately with 52
sharp weapons, leaving him dead on the spot.
16 - On May 11, 2016 a young man was stabbed to death in the city‟s Moghazar area. The deceased was identified as Arif, 20. Further details about him could not be known immediately. Sub-inspector Humayun Kabir, the duty officer at Ramna police station, said unidentified miscreants stabbed Arif at Ambagan sometime after 10:00pm, leaving him injured. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital where physicians declared him dead, he said.53
On May 13, 2016 A member of Santu Larma-led Parbatya Chhattagram Jana Sanghati Samity
was shot to death by miscreants in Naniarchar upazila headquarters. Sub-inspector of | May Bangladesh on Report ation Naniarchar police station M Shahjahan said the miscreants opened fire on the victim, identified as Makbul Chakma, from behind while he was going to T&T area from a bazaar of the upazila headquarters in the evening, leaving him injured. Makbul was first taken to Naniarchar Upazila Health Complex and later shifted to Rangami general hospital where
49http://newagebd.net/226614/tangail-tailor-hacked-to-death/ 50http://www.jugantor.com/online/country-news/2016/05/03/11678 51http://www.thedailystar.net/city/jubo-league-man-shot-dead-ctg-1219543
52http://www.dailynayadiganta.com/detail/news/117958#sthash.WIIjen1G.dpuf Rights MonthlyObserv Human 53http://newagebd.net/229579/youth-stabbed-dead-in-city/
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 24 doctors declared him dead. Locals said Makbul has recently joined the Santu Larma-led PCJSS from the United People‟s Democratic Front.54
On May 19, 2016 Miscreants hacked a homeopath to death and injured an Islamic University teacher in Kushtia sadar. The deceased was Sanaur Rahman, 55, and the injured Md Saifuzzaman was a lecturer of Bangla department of the university. Sadar police officer-in- charge Shahabuddin Chowdhury said a gang of 10 to 12 miscreants swooped on the duo while they approached the village Shishirmath riding a motorcycle around 10:00am. The miscreants hacked them indiscriminately, leaving Sanaur Rahman died on the spot, he said.55
On May 25, 2016 A Hindu trader was murdered by unknown assailants inside his shop in Gaibandha's Gobindaganj upazila. Deceased Debesh Chandra Pramanik, 66, opened his shoe shop at Mahimaganj Bazar around 6:00am after offering puja, said police and family members. Ananda Rani, 48, widow of Debesh, said she went to the shop around an hour later after taking a walk in the locality early in the morning, something she always did. “I noticed four youths hurriedly leaving the area,” she added. Sensing something was wrong, she rushed to the shop only to find her husband lying in a pool of blood. He was stabbed in the neck and his throat was slit, said Mozammel Haque, officer-in-charge of Gobindaganj Police Station.56
On May 26, 2016 a young man hacked a schoolgirl to death and injured her three fellows at Mohipur college intersection in Chapainawabganj sadar. The victim was identified as Kanika Rani Ghosh, 15, daughter of Lakshman Ghosh, of village Mohipur. The injured were Tanjima Akter, 14, Mariam Akter, 15, and Tarin Afroz, 15, of different villages in sadar upazila. All
of them were Class X students of Mohipur High School.57
16 - A local Chhatra League leader was chopped to death and his three friends were injured in an attack by criminals in front of Barisal Polytechnic Institute. The dead is Reza, 22, and the injured are Mehedi, 20, Maruf, 22, and Purno, 20. Ataur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Barisal Kotwali Model Police Station, said a group of criminals chopped Reza and his three friends with sharp weapons indiscriminately around 9:30pm when they were chatting in front of the institute, leaving them injured.58
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation
54http://www.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/article/857949 55http://www.kalerkantho.com/online/country-news/2016/05/21/360948#sthash.HM2YSmTi.dpuf 56http://bangla.samakal.net/2016/05/25/214324#sthash.CcznSnlm.dpuf
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human 57http://www.mzamin.com/article.php?mzamin=15730&cat=1 58http://www.mzamin.com/article.php?mzamin=15861&cat=1/
25 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org POLITICAL VIOLENCE
Political violence in Bangladesh is a banal phenomenon. The role and way of democratic politics have been subjected to a great question due to the considerable number of political classes among the parties as well as intra parties. At present, it has been considered a sign of an immature or even immoral political class.59After assuming state power by Awami League Government through 5th March 2014 by controversial election, political violence is still continued. But due to limited space for opposition parties, now political violence are mostly intra-factional clashes of ruling party over the issues of supremacy, tender and possession of power, collecting subscription, grabbing land etc. The activist of opposite political parties is being tortured, killed by the activist of ruling parties in every corner of the country.
Bullet Hit (07)
Number of Incidents Political Injured Violance (17) (93)
Killed
16
(04) -
Figure 11: statistics of Political Violence in May’16
The figure presents information about the political violence in May 2016. According to Human Rights Support Centre (HRSC) information, a total of 04 people were killed, around 07 were bullet hit, and almost 93 people were injured due to political related issues. Most of the political violence occurred among the sub-organization of ruling
party on the supremacy of power or tender. | May Bangladesh on Report ation
Selected cases are as follows:On 9th May 2016, Awamileag activist embroiled with each other during anti-hortal prcession at Shah Ali area of the capital. During this class at least sixteen people were injured. The injured were got admitted at Dhaka medical college hospital. The witness said that the clash was between the supporter of local MP and preserve seats MP. Local said that at 10 am, Awamileag activist started a procession from Multo
Rights MonthlyObserv Human 59 Islam and Suykens, Distribution of Political Violence in Bangladesh 2016,
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 26 bangle shopping center against calling hartal by Bangladesh Jamatee Islami. At one stage the rival Awami activist blocked the procession and clash was started. 60
Abdur-Rahim (35), an Awamileag leader has been killed on 21th May 2016 in Pabna. He was the secretary of Goashpur Union unit. He was the son of Jomsher Ali of Rahimpur village. Local said that there was a conflict between two member candidate Shan Molla and Anjad molla. Abdur-Rahim (nephew of Amjad Molla) went to the market for shopping, the supporter of Shan Molla shot him and fleed. He was rushed to the Pabna general hospital then the physician identified him as dead. Police said that they are conducting an investigation about the issue.61
Three room of two residential hostel of Rajshahi College were alleged to burn by the activists of Bangladesh Chatraleag (BCL) on 17th May 2016. The witness said that BCL activist burnt three Bangladesh Chatradol (BCD) controlled room of Birshesto Munshi Abdur Rouf and Birshesto Mostofa Kamal hostel. Local said that BCD leader at Rajshahi college beaten BCL activist Reza Shahin. Then BCl activist gathered and attacked both the hostel to search BCD activists and burnt the rooms when there were no BCD activists present there. At one stage fire service team rushed there and controlled the fire. 62
On 28th May 2016, two students at the University of Chittagong were chopped to injure as a suspect of an activist of Shibir activists. The victims were GM Saiful Islam and Sujat Hossen. Both of them are the Masters student of History department. The witness said that when GM Saiful Islam and Sujat Hossen went on the front of their faculty, 10-15 BCL activists enforcedly brought then at the workshop of life science faculty and chopped them severely. They were then rescued the admitted at Chittagong medical college hospital at the severe 63
condition. 16
- ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation
60http://www.mzamin.com/article.php?mzamin=13259&cat=3/ 61http://www.dailynayadiganta.com/detail/news/120901#sthash.pVu5zOof.dpuf
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human 62http://www.mzamin.com/article.php?mzamin=14515&cat=9/ 63http://www.prothom-alo.com/bangladesh/article/871258
27 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org RECOVERY OF DEAD BODY
Security of life is the foremost right for enjoyments of all others human rights. In Bangladesh, due to worsening law and order situation recovery of the dead body from the different place of the country has been regular incidents. Most of the killers of these incidents are not identified on the other hand sometimes dead bodies‟ identities are not found.
10
Male 9 Female Unidentified
32
Figure 12: Recovery of Dead Body in May’16
The presented chart illustrates information about the recovery dead body. According to
information collected by HRSC May 2016, a total of 51 dead bodies were found in the 16 different area of the country, among of them 32 bodies were male and 09 bodies were - female and 10 bodies were unidentified.
Selected cases are as follows: On May 1, 2016 Police recovered the body of a woman from a hotel room at Adabar of Shamoly in the city. The diseased is identified as Beauty, 20, wife of Monir of Jaldanga in Bagerhat. Sub-inspector of Adabar police station Md Mamun Hasan said around 2:00am from the bathroom of Ananna residential hotel they recovered the body. The woman had frequent old wound marks on her body and also had a recent injury to her right eye, police said.64
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation On May 03, 2016 Police recovered the body of an unidentified person, aged around 50, from Anderkillah intersection in Chittagong city. Locals noticed the man lying unconscious at the intersection around 12:30am and informed police. He was rushed to Chittagong Medical College Hospital where physicians declared him dead, said police adding, there was an injury mark on his head.65
64http://newagebd.net/226644/womans-body-recovered-from-shyamoli-hotel/ Rights MonthlyObserv Human 65http://www.dailynayadiganta.com/detail/news/115343#sthash.SSC9i3qa.dpuf
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 28 On May 02, 2016 an activist of Juba League, the youth wing of ruling Awami League activist was found dead in Yasinpur Rail Station area of Natore. The deceased was identified as Abdur Razzak, an activist of the ward 8 unit of Juba League of Natore municipality.Mizanur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Sadar Police Station, said locals spotted his body in the area around 8am and informed police. Later police recovered the body. „The body bore injury marks in the head,‟ added the OC.66
On May 06, 2016 the decomposed body of a girl was found at a student mess in the capital's Mohammadpur.Deceased Shahara Afroz Shimu, 23, an MBA student at a private university, was from Rangpur, said Jamal Uddin Mir, officer-in-charge of Mohammadpur police.On information, police broke into a room of the mess at a five-storied building on Babar Road and found the body hanging from a ceiling fan around 3:00pm, added the OC.The girl died two to three days ago, and sleeping pills were found on the scene, said Jamal.67
On May 7, 2016 Police recovered the hanging body of a student of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology from a mess in Borgul area adjacent to the campus in Sylhet. The deceased was identified as Bishwajit Mallik, a 2nd-year student of the forestry and environment science department of the university. He hailed from Sirajdikhan of Munshiganj.68
On May 10, 2016 Police recovered the body of an unidentified man, aged around 35, from CDA Market area under Pahartali Police Station in Chittagong city. The body was recovered from the road in the area. He might have been hit by a bus, said Officer-in-Charge of the station Ranjit Kumar Barua. The body was sent to Chittagong Medical College Hospital for
an autopsy.69
16 - On May 15, 2016 Police recovered the body of a youth from Kamarpara area of Ashulia. The deceased was Arif, 25, a cable technician and a resident of Ransthal area of Ashulia. On information, police recovered the body wrapped in a sack from the area and sent it to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for an autopsy, said Mohsinul Kadir, officer-in-charge of Ashulia Police Station.70
On May 17, 2016 a textile mill official, who went missing on Tuesday, was found dead at Shekher Jaiga in the city‟s Khilgaon area. Abu Zafar Hawladar, sub-inspector of Sabujbagh police station, said Manirul Islam,35, assistant general manager of Sayem Textile, went by
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation his car to a place at Dakkhingaon in Sabujbagh area after office hours around 5:00pm. Later keeping his driver in wait there he went to an unknown direction.As Manirul did not come back even after a long wait, the driver informed the matter to his (Manirul‟s) wife.71
66http://newagebd.net/227113/jl-man-found-dead-in-natore/ 67http://www.thedailystar.net/city/girls-decomposed-body-found-1220011 68http://newagebd.net/228822/sust-student-found-dead/ 69http://www.thedailystar.net/city/unidentified-mans-body-recovered-1221850
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human 70http://www.ittefaq.com.bd/wholecountry/2016/05/15/68168.html 71 http://newagebd.net/230705/missing-textile-mill-official-found-dead-in-city/
29 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org ELECTION VIOLENCE AND VOTE RIGGING
The election is the most common and acceptable way of changing power from one person to another as well as one party to another party in the democratic country. Bangladesh is not different from the other country. Here the elections are arranged to elect the nominee to a role the country as people representative. As a part of it, the Union Parishad Election was held in the different area of the country in May 2016. But regretfully, the civil society of Bangladesh, as well as the non-state actor, identified these elections as a partial election with intense interference from the government. It has well been reported that this election was greatly influenced by the activists, leaders, and workers as well as the representative of the ruling party. The civil society also predicted that this election loss the people‟s interest in the election in future which would also be the awful sign for democracy.
killed (38) Injured (679)
Union Parishad Election Number Of Incidents Bullet Hit (64)
(86) 16 -
Figure 13: Violence in Union Parishad Election in May’16
The flow chart provides information about the turbulent figure of UP election in May 2016. HRSC tracked the election-related violence from the media. A total of 679 people were seriously injured. Around 38 were killed in UP election-related violence noted from May 01 to May 31, the report also base on the 12 leading national newspapers also said that a total of 64 people were bullet hit during the election. Most of the cases , one
thing is seen that defeated candidates intolerant mentality, an altercation between | May Bangladesh on Report ation supporters of the rival candidates, bid the capture vote centers, previous political conflict, stopping the election during election hour in the areas as the reasons behind the violence.
Some important cases are given below; On May 7, 2016 At least four people were killed and scores were injured as violence, rigging, ballot stuffing and intimidation, mostly carried out by ruling Awami League activists, marked the fourth phase of partisan elections to union
parishads like the previous phases. Three AL were killed in Narsingdi and Comilla as Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 30 supporters of AL-nominated candidates and AL rebels clashed while a higher secondary certificate examinee was shot dead as police fired bullets to disperse supporters of two member candidates in Thakurgaon who were clashing.
In Narsingdi, AL rebel‟s supporter Sumon Mia, 26, was hacked to death and five others were injured as supporters of AL-nominated chairman candidate Reaz Morshed Khan Russell and AL rebel Azan Chowdhury for Srinagar union parishad of Raipur upazila clashed at Rangpur village. Another AL activist, Hossain Ali, was killed as supporters of AL candidate Masudur Rahman and AL rebel Jakir Hossain clashed near a polling station at Madhya Nagar village of Paratali union of Raipur upazila. Hoasain was hit with a spear and died on the way to the hospital, Narsingdi additional superintendent of police Zakir Hossain said.
In Thakurgaon, HSC examinee Mahbub Alam was killed as police fired a bullet to stop clashes between supporters of two member candidates at Saldanga Madrassah centre under Paria union of Baliadangi upazila. Presiding officer Mujibur Rahman said police opened fire when supporters of two member candidates clashed over an attempt to capture the polling stations and Mahbub died on the spot falling in the line of firing.
In Comilla, Taposh Chandra Das, 38, was stabbed to death and five others were injured as supporters of two member candidates, both activists of ruling AL, clashed at Chandla union of Brahmanpara upazila in Comilla. Brahmanpara police station officer-in-charge Badiuzzaman said that supporters of two member candidates – Sultan Ahmed and Rezaul Karim – for Chandla union clashed in front of Chandla Primary School centre at about 11:00 am. During the clash, supporters of Rezaul stabbed Taposh of Chandla village to death, Badiuzzaman said.Kamladanga police officer-in-charge Mahbub Alam said Matin died of
cardic arrest.Border Guard Bangladesh soldier Mahmudul Hasan, who was on election duty,
16 72 - died in an „accidental fire‟ from his own rifle at Madarganj upazila auditorium in Jamalpur.
On May 5, 2016 Local Awami League leaders and supporters have allegedly beaten and assaulted Parshuram Upazila Nirbahi Officer HM Rokib Haidar over a trivial matter in Feni. Witnesses said, AL vice-president of Feni district unit Kairul Basar Majumdar Tapan and his supporters beat up and assaulted the UNO.Feni district administrator Amin-ul-Ahsan said local Awami League leaders were preparing to welcome shipping minister Shahjahan Khan at Dhakunda area in the morning as he was scheduled to attend a rally at Parsuram. During the arrangement Upazila Nirbahi Officer Rakib got into an argument with Tapan over a trivial
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation matter, he said.At one stage Tapan and his men started beating the UNO and left him seriously injured.73
On May 6, 2016 At least two people were killed while 30 others injured as police opened fire to disperse Awami League activists, who locked into an hour-long clash over union parishad election at Baghmara in Rajshahi. Additional members of law enforcing agencies were deployed in the area to avert any unwarranted situation, said Matiar Rahman, officer-in-
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human 72http://newagebd.net/228793/4-killed-as-violence-rigging-mark-up-polls/ 73http://newagebd.net/228217/al-leader-beats-up-uno-in-feni/
31 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org charge of Baghmara police station.The supporters of Awami League chairman candidate of Auchpara union, Jan Mohammad, attacked the house of party rebel candidate Shahiduzzaman at village Hatgangapara around 4:30pm, he said.Locals said four people received bullet injuries during the clash. Of them, Siddiqur Rahman, 30, and Jahidul Islam Bulu, 35, of the village, died on the spot.74
On May 28, 2016 At least eight people including a schoolboy were killed and dozens injured as voting in the fifth phase at 720 union parishads across the country ended amid sporadic violence and stuffing.In Jamalpur, four people including a schoolboy were killed and more than 30 others injured in a tripartite clash in a polling centre at Bahadurabad union in Dewanganj. The deceased were identified as Ziaur Rahman, 35, son of Nurul Islam, and Nabirul Islam of village Kutuber Char; Class VIII student Mazed, 15, son of Afzal Sheikh, and Nurul Islam, 55, residents of village Sheikhpara in the upazila. The supporters of Awami League-backed chairman candidate Sakiruzzaman and AL rebel candidate Md Shajahan Ali locked in the clash at Khutir Char Ibtedayi Madrassah centre around 10:00am with local weapons. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party men also joined with the rebel candidate during the chaos. The clash left Ziaur, Nabirul and Nurul dead on the spot.Police fired 100 rounds of bullets to disperse the groups. Mazed received bullet hit and died on the spot.
In Noakhali, two people were killed in electoral violence at Begumganj upazila. a voter died after being chased by law enforcers at Rajganj Senior Dakhil Madrassah centre of Rajganj union. The deceased, Syed Ahmed, 55, suffered head injuries as he fell down on the ground being chased by the law enforcers at about 10:30am. He was taken to Noakhali General Hospital where physicians declared him dead.A teenager, Sakil, son of Md Milan of Jirtali village, received bullet hit in a clash at KB Union High School centre at Jirtali union around
noon. He died on the way to a Dhaka hospital.
16 - In Comilla, a Bangladesh Nationalist Party rebel candidate was hacked to death in a clash at Balarampur union of Titas upazila. The victim was Kamal Uddin, also the incumbent chairman of the union parishad. In another incident, at least 10 people including a policeman were injured in UP polls violence at Char Swarshwati Government Primary School centre in Kalakandi union of Titas. The clash took place among the supporters of Awami League- nominated chairman Habibur Rahman and AL rebel candidate Md Ibrahim Sarkar around 9:30am. Both the groups blasted around eight crude bombs.75
| May Bangladesh on Report ation
74http://newagebd.net/228537/al-infighting-leaves-2-dead-in-rajshahi/ Rights MonthlyObserv Human 75http://newagebd.net/228537/al-infighting-leaves-2-dead-in-rajshahi/
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 32 AT A GLANCE HUMAN RIGHT SITUATION OF BANGLADESH (MAY’16)
80 71 70 60 60 51 50
40
30
20 14 14 12 9
10 7 16 - 2
0
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation Figure 14: At a Glance in May 2016
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human
33 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org CONCLUSION
To put it in a nutshell, it is observed that the human rights situation in Bangladesh was pathetic in May 2016. This is mostly because of the failure of the public administration to protect the life and property of the common people.
Frequently, security forces were getting involved in the abduction and killing as the reports suggest. The incident of torture, oppression, and arbitrary arrests by law enforcement agencies became more common in Bangladesh than before. It is claimed by some stakeholders that the Government authority through its administrative mechanism is randomly abusing its legitimized power and committing torture to the common people for articulating their self-desire as well as securing the vested interest of the ruling party which is unexpected. The problem is that the government is not taking any effective measures to improve the situation rather than blaming the oppositions, and thus escaping from their responsibilities.
Election violence including vote rigging, domestic violence, and rape, have become significant features of the deterioration of human rights conditions in May 2016. Political turmoil between rival political parties is gradually intensified. Many innocent citizens are facing different forms of suppression, discrimination and exploitation by different vested quarters without any justified allegations. Although UDHR and Constitution of Bangladesh (Article no. 27-44) strictly defend all forms of human rights, it‟s a matter of deep concern that they have been denied by most incumbents of the government.
It might be estimated that if human rights situation gradually deteriorates as it happens during 16 the first quarter of the year then the whole country would be undisciplined, anarchic, unstable - as well as disordered. Upon such alarming circumstances, HRSC calls to every conscious citizen and non-state actors to be more vocal against these sorts of deplorable human rights situations in the country. HRSC also urges the Government to be more responsive in protecting the life and property of the general people and thereby fulfill their constitutional
commitment.
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human
Email: [email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org 34 RECOMMENDATION
The current human rights situation in Bangladesh is highly alarming. Therefore, the government along with the respective authority should receive this situation into consideration by taking appropriate measure to improve the situation and to meet demands of human rights related treaties. To improve the situation HRSC recommend the following highly effective procedures….
The fair practice of democratic system is the prerequisite to ensure the human rights. Hence, the Government should initiate the cordial dialogue with all major political parties to resolve the deadlock regarding the election procedure and find out the proper way to ensure stable political situation and democratic system in the country.
Violence against women (VAW) is both structural and cultural. So, actions should be taken to create a culture against VAW at all spheres and criminal must be faced before the law.
The government needs to form a special independent agency or judiciary investigation team to inquiry every incident of extra-judicial killing, enforce disappearance and abduction. After an investigation, real culprits should be given exemplary punishment.
The government should take necessary steps to find out the victims of disappearance and handed back them to their families. HRSC urges the government to abide by the agreements of the international convention for the protection of all persons from enforced
disappearance, adopted by the UN on December 20, 2006 in a proper manner. 16 - The Proper initiative has to be taken to ensure the security of women, children and minority group members. Equity must be ensured in every sphere of social, economic and political life.
The Government should be flexible in the matter of freedom of expression. All types of print and electronic media should enjoy fearless opportunity to broadcast their news even though it goes against the Government. The Government has to be more tolerant of the oppositions and their ideas.
ation Report on Bangladesh | May Bangladesh on Report ation Arbitrary arrests of persons with reverse political ideology must be stopped. The Government should immediately retract the repressive special powers act of 1974 and the Information and Communication Technology Act 2006 (Amended 2013).
The Government must ensure the accountability and transparency of the members of law enforcement agencies and should take effective measures to end impunity.
Monthly Human Rights Rights MonthlyObserv Human
35 Email:[email protected] | Website: www.hrscbd.org